Filling-replenishing feeler-loom and filling-carrier therefor.



A. E. RHUADES.

FILLING REPLENISHING FEELER LOOM AND FILLING CARRIER THEREFOR.

APPUCATION FILED JAN. 16. I917.

1,243,342. Patented Oct. 16, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Fig.2.

\nvenToT. Atongo ERhoudQs' A. E. RHOADES.

FILLING REPLENISHING FEELER LO0M AND FILLING CARRIER THEREFOR.

I APPLICATION FILED IAN. I5, I91].

1 ,243,34:2. Paiented Oct. 16, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Fig.4.

III/[IIIIII/IllIII/II/II/II/l/I/IA InverTor. Alonzo ERhoudes Ill 'teetion has taken p'laee.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALonzo n. RHOADES, OF HOPEDALE,- MASSACHUSETTS, gssxonon TO DBAPEB001w.- PORATION, 0F HOPEDALE. MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION e1 MAINE.

FILLING-REPLENISHING FEELER-LOOM AND FILLING-CARRIER THEREFOR.

l age-i342.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 16, 1917.

pplication filed. January 16, 1917. Serial 110.142,?36.

To all whom. it may concern."

lie it known that l, ALoNzo l ltnoauns, a. citizen of the United States,residing at llflj'lttltlltf, 'eounty of \Voreester, State of.\lassaehusetts. have invented an Improvemontin Filling-lteplenishingFeeler-Looms and Filliugarriers 'lherefor, of which the followingdescription, in connection with the aeeompaIrving drawing, is aspecification, like charm-tors on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to looms provided with mechanism forautomatically replenishing the titling when the supply in the runningshuttle has become exhausted to a predetermined extent. In this type ofloom it. is necessary to leave upon the filling carrier in the runningshuttle a definite amount of filling, usually such an amount as willonahleone or two picks to be made after de- It is desirable further thatthere shall he left upon the lil'ling earrieiuuo more than the requiredamount because not only is any surplus wastage, but.

time and laht "are involved in removing the surplus l'rom the lillingearrier prior to spinning thereon-a l'resh supply. Kit is the object ofthe present invention to provide a feeler mechanism and a liltingcarrier eetiperating therewith which shall insure detection ofsubstantial exhaustion ol" filling regardless seriesol' equall sparedhelieal grooves and eooperating therewith a plurality of separatedfeelers in le a-ndentlv and intermlttentljv engaging the filling on thetilhng arl'l t'l' in'a llne parallel with the axis thereof and soarranged that one or more of the helieal grooves whatever may be therotary position of the. filling carrier in the shuttle. and withinreasonable limits whatever may he the longilaulinal position of thefilling carrier or shuttle. with respect to the feelers on absenee oflilting will be opposite the said feeler or feelers which will cause theinitiation and ope; 'ation of the filling replenishing mechanism andleave a substantially predetermined quantity of filling on the fillingcarrier after detection takes plaee.

The invention therefore involves a novel form of feeler motion and novelmechanism for transmitting indication of filling exhaustion to thefilling replenishing mechanism.

These and other objects of the invention will appear more fully from theaccompanying tlesel'iptioll and drawings and will be particularlypointed out in the claims.

The drawings show so much of an ordinary automatie filling replenishingloom, such. for example. as the well known Northrop" type. as isnecessary to a disclosure of the present invention.

In the drawings.

Figure l is a top plan view of the left hand ordeteeting end ofanautomatic filling replenisl'iing loom with a preferred form of thepresent invention. embodied therein;

-'Fig. :2 is a left. hand end elevatitm of the parts shown in Fig. 1partially in cross section and partially broken away;

Fig. 3 is a. view in vertical cross section: showing the ends of thelatch and weft hammer;

Fig. 4- is a top plan view of the feelers, feeler support and stand withthe Cover of the latter removed. 7

Fig. 5 is a central vertical cross section of the. leeler stand andeouuected parts;

Fig. (3 is a side elevation of the butt end of a filling earrielembodying the invention;

Fig. 7, is a trausversesectional view of the filling earrier shown inFig. (3 taken through the helical grooved zone:

Fig. H is a rear end elevation of the feelers. leeler support and stand.

The present. invention being concerned in its novel teaturesonlv withthe mechanism for seeuring tleteetion of filling exhaustion andthereupon initiating the operation of the filling leplenishingn'ieehanism it is unnecessary to illustrate or describe the remainingmechanism of an automatic filling replenishing loom all of which is wellknown'and familiar to those skille. in the art.

It. will he sutlieient t; refore to note that the breast beam 1 suppt sat; the front a second filling carrier.

at the same time eject from the shuttle the The controller rock shaft 2is usually provided with an upstanding rocker arm 3 to the upper end ofwhich is pivoted a latch 4 which extends rearwardly over the breast beamand at its rear end cooperates with the ordinary weft hammer 5. The wefthammer is provided with a depending shoulder 6 and the latch is providedwith a rearwardly extending finger 7. When the loom is in operation ,andsufficient filling is upon the filllng carrier the mechanism operates tokeep the finger 7 of the latch beneath the path of the shoulder 6' ofthe weft hammer when the upper end of the weft hammer swings rearwardlybut when the fillin on the filling carrier in the running shutt e issubstantially exhausted and detection takes lace the mechanism operatesto raise the atch 4 to bring the finger 7 into the path of the shoulder6 so that when the Weft hammer swings forwardly it carries with it thelatch, rocks the controller shaft 2, and thus initiates the operation ofthe filling replenishing mechanism. i

As has already been pointed out the invention involves a novel form offilling carrier which is herein shown in the form of a bobbin 8providedwith a butt 9 having the usual retaining rings 10. This bobbinis carried by a shuttle 11 shown in Fig. l boxed at the detecting end ofthe lay 12. This filling carrier or bobbin has a zone 13 of. its barreladjacent the butt 9 provided with an endless circumferential series ofequally spaced helical grooves 14. The depth of these grooves issufficient to enable a feeler to enter therein and have sulficientmovement to secure the operation of the transmitting mechanism. Thelength of these helical grooves and consequently the length of the zone13 is sufiicient to enable a plurality of separated independentlymovable feelers to be arranged oppositcevcn when'the longitudinalposition of the filling carrier with respect to the feelers is varied asby a slightly improper boning of the shuttle. :The pitch of the helicesupon which the grooves are formed should be comparatively slight and apreferred pitch is illustrated. The helical ribs 15, which separate thegrooves 14 are preferably of less width than the grooves.

It will thus be seen that there is presented a novel constrnctii'gn offilling carrier which may be placed in the shuttle without regard to theparticular angular position or positioned rotarily of its axis whichitoccupies in the shuttle. This is because the circumferential series ofequally spaced helical grooves present a substantially similar face tothe row of feelers regardless of the angular position of the shuttle.This renders it unnecessary to provide any mechanism in connection withthe filling replenishing mechanism tqguide the filling carrier or control its delivery to theshuttle so as to cause it to present anydefinite angular position with respect to the shuttle. This helicalseries of grooves when cobperating with a row of independently actingfeelers insures that one or more of the feelers will. be opposite agroove no matter what may be the rotary position'of the filling carrierand thus upon the beat up insures that a detecting action of one or morefeelers shall take place when filling is absent opposite the feelers.

The feeler motion herein illustrated as a preferred form of theinvention for cooperating with'the helically grooved filling carriercomprises a plurality of feelers'lu preferably arranged in a row side byside with their ends on a line opposite the axis of the filling carrierwhen the shuttle is at the detecting side of the loom. These feelershave their ends or points inclined to correspond in general with thepitch of the helical grooves 14 so as more readily to enter therein. Thefeelers 16 are separated pref-- erably equi-distantly and preferably bydistances greater than the distance between the center lines of thehelical grooves where the grooves cross a line on the barrel peripheryparallel with the barrel axis. This space relation of the feelers to'thehelical grooves aids in insuring that, when the filling is absent fromthe grooved zone of the barrel when the beat up takes place, one or moreof the feelers may enter one or more of the helical grooves whatever maybe the rotary position of the filling carrier.

The feelers 16 are each provided with an upstanding lug 17 and areindependently longitudinally and slidably mounted in a feeler support 18shown as a Hat box-like structure recessed to receive the feelers andslotted at 19 to allow the projection of the lugs 17 and closed at thebottom by a plate 20. Each feeler is normally held rcarwardly projectedby ahelical spring 21 seated in the bore in the fceler support 18 andabutting the head of a plunger 22 which in turn abuts the forward end ofthe feelcr.

The feelcr support 18 itself is slidingly mounted in a feelcr stand 23shown as a box-like casing provided with a cover 2+. The'cover andbottom portion of the stand are laterally flanged at 25 and 2(3.respectively and secured together by set screws 27. The flanges 25 and26 are longitudinally slotted at 28 and set screws 12!) passing throughthe saidslot 28 serve longitudinally and adjustably to secure the fcclcrstain] to a bracket 30 in turn secured by a b lt ill to adepcndingflange 32 of the breast beam. Set screws 33 provided with lock nuts SHare threaded through an upwardly projecting flange 35 of the bracket 30and abut the edge of the flanges 25 and 26 and secure at set screws 46h)a shaftefl.

lateral zuljustnu-nt of the feelcr stand, the slot being of greaterwidth than the diamcter of the set screws 21!.

The fecler support 18 is longitlulinally 'slidably mounted in the feelerstand 22 and is provided with a forwardly projecting cylindrical shank3t) guided in the forward end of the stand. This shank is surrolnulcd bya helical spring 37 abutting at one end against the interior of theforward end of the stand and at; the other end against the feelersupport 18 so that the fecler support as-a whole is yieldingly heldnormally projected rearwardly, a depending lug 2-58 thercfrom contactingwith the rearward end of the. stand to limit the rearward projection.

The tension of the spring 37 is considerably greater than' that of thecombined springs 21 so that the feelers may all yield for- \vardlywithout moving the feeler support. but if considerable pressure comesupon the feelers by the feelers contacting with the shuttle wall whenthe shuttle is improperly boxed then the entire feeler supportwvill moveforwardly thus obviating any danger of a smash or breakage of the parts.

A controller member 3!) shown as a flat plate of sufficient width tocover the entire series of feelers and provided with a rearwarddepending projection 40 forming a hook is secured by set screws 41 to ashaft 42 pivoted. in upstanding lugs 43 formed on or connected with thecover 24 of the feeler stand 23 and is so proportioned that when'thefeeler support and feelers are in theirnormal position rearwardlyprojecting the projection'40 will rest upon the top of lu gs l'l'and bemaintained thereby in elevated position.

The shaft 42 forms a portion of a transmitter for transmitting. thedetecting action to the filling replenishing mechanism. in order toallow of adjustment of the feeler stand and provide facility inassembling the. parts this transmitting mechanism is jointed as bypivotally connecting the shaft 42 at 41 to a socketed head 45 in turnlongitudinally and rotarily adjustably connected by This shaft at theright hand. end is journaled in.a bearing 48 formed on a bracket 49secured by a set screw 50 to the breast beam.

At its right hand end the shaft =17 is formed into acrank 51 and entersa longitudinal slot 52 in the latch 4. A helical spring 53 surrounds theshaft 47-and is secured atone end to the bearing 48 and at the, otherend to a collar. rotarily adjustable on the shaft47 by means of a setscrew' and normally acts to depress the rearward end of the controller89, and consequently through the crank 51 the rear end of the latch 4.to'cause the:finger 7 of the hitch to pass beneath the path of theshoulder 6 of thc vefthammer.

When the hclical grooves of the filling carrier are covered with lillingand the lay heats up the feelers It; enter the opening 56 in th shuttlebinder 57 and the opening 58 in the wall of the shuttle 1] and contactwith the lilling on the lilling carrier. The lilling carrier thereforeforces the feelers forwardly against the helical springs 21 and the lugs17 pass forward of the projection 40. The controller 3! is thereupondepressed by the action of the spring 53 and the rear cud of the latch lis simultaneously depressed through the action of the crank 51 so thatas the weft hammer swings forwardly it clears the finger 7 of the latch.(onsequen tly there is no operation of the controllcr rock shaft 2 andno initiation of filling replenishing action.

Upon the return of the lay the feelers have now been locked in forwardposition by the controller 39 and mechanism is therefore. provided torestore the controller to raised position to allow the feelers to moverearwardly. la the construction illustrated for this purpose this actionis secured through the movement of the weft hammer. 'lhe shaft 47 isprovided with a depending crank arm 5!) formed on a bracket (3Usurroundina and secured to the shaft by setscrews (31. A rearwardlyprojecting link 62 is pivoted to the lower end of the crank arm 5!) andis providedat its rear end with a longitudinal slot (33 resting over apin 64 projecting laterally froln the upper end of the weft hammer Acotter pin (35 holds the link in place on the pin (54., The. slot (li'iis so positioned with respect" to the pin 65 that as the weft hammerswings reali'wardly it pulls the link (52 thus rocking the shaft 47 andraising the controller 3!) against the action of the spriiig 55 untilthe projection 40 of the controller clears the lugs 17 and allows thefeelers 16 to swing rearwardly to carry the lugs 17 beneath theprojection 40.

The operation of the nieclulnisnl will be. apparent from the foregoingde.scri )tion. Filling carriers are wound so that when the zone 13covered by the helical grooves is uncovered by the drawing oll of thefilling in the weaving operation there will remain upon the fillingcarrier a )redeterminedamount of filling required to continue the wjealug operation untll replenishment takes place through the action of thefilling reelevated thus holding the latch 4 elevated and the finger? inthe path of the shoulder (S of the weft hammer so that as the wefthammer moves forwardly the latch will be 5 rocked forwa'u'dly and theope 'ation of the filling replenishing mechanism will be initiated inthe u'sualvmanner. Upon the rearward movement of the lay the controller39 being held elevated by the feelers not carried forward, those feelerswhich have been carried forward will sprlng back to normal position withtheir lugs 17 beneath the controller. l)lll'lll the normal 0 )eration ofthe loom and before the filling has been exhau'sted .to an extentsullicient to uncover the zone 13 upon each beat up the filling, carriercontacting with the feelers 16 will move all of the feelers forwardlyagainst their springs allowing the controller 39 to drop go behind the.lugs 17. Upon the rearward beat of the lay and the rearward movement ofthe weft hammer the link (r2 will rock the shaft 47 to restore orelevate the controller 39 and allow the feelers to spring for 'ardly 5bringing their lugs 17 beneath the controller.

If the shuttle be improperly boxed to such an extent that any of theferlers come in contact \vith'the shuttle wall then upon the beat up ofthe lay the feeler support will 39 slide forward rearwardly against thetension of its spring 37 preventing any breakage of the parts.

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire toseem-e by Let- 5 ters latent is:

1. In an automatic filling replenishing Tloom comprising fillingcarriers, each having a zoneof its barrel provided with anendless-c'ircumferential series of equally spaced 'al grooves; fillingreplenishing n1echanisrn; feeler mechanism including a plurality ofseparated feelersindependently and intermittently engaging the fillingon the filling carrier in the shuttle. whereby upon the. detecting beatup. when the grooved zone of the .rurming filling carrier is uncoveredof filling, one or more grooves will be entered by one or more feelersregardless of the rotary. or exact longitudinal, position oft-l fillingcarrier; and connections between said filling replenishing mechanism andfeeler mechanism actmgto initiate the operation 0'? the fillingreplenishing mech-- anism upon the entrance of a, feeler into a 2. In anautomatic filling replenishing loom comprising filling carriers, eachhaving a. zone of its barrel provided with an endless circumferentialseries of equally spaced helical-grooves; filling replenishingmechanism;

feeler mechanism including a plurality of feelers separated by spacesdifferent from the. spaces which separate the helical grooves andindependently and intermittently en- 5 gaging the filling on the fillingcarrier in the shuttle, whereby upon the detecting beat up.

when the groored zone of the running filling carrier is uncovered offilling. one or more grooves 'Ill be entered by one or more feelers.regardless of the rotary,'0r exactlongr' tudmal. position of the fillingcarrier; anding carrier in the shuttle. whereby upon the detecting beatup. when the grooved zone of the running filling carrier is uncovered offilling, one or more grooves will be entered by one or more feelers,regardless of the rotary. or exactlongitndinal, position of the fillingcarrier; and connections between said filling replenishing mechanism andfeeler mechanism acting to initiatethe' operation of the fillingreplenishing mechanism upon the entrance of a feeler into a groove.

4. .\n automatic filling replenishing loom comprising means forinitiating filling replenishment: feeler mechanism including avplurality of separated independently and yieldingly projected feelers; acontroller held in elevated position by or through the feelers whenrearwardly projected and de pressed when the feelers are moved for-fwardly by contact with the filling on the filling carrier; and means forrestoring the controller to elevated position after each beat up of thelay.

An automatic filling replenishing loom comprising means for initiatingfilling replenishment; feeler mechanism including a; plurality ofseparated independently and yieldingly projected feelers; a controllerheld in elevated position by or through the feelers when rearwardlyprojected and depressed when the feelers are moved for- Wardly bycontact with the filling on the filling carrier; and means operated bythe weft hammer for restoring the controller to elevated position aftereach beat up of the lay.

6. An automatic filling replenishing loom connirising means forinitiating filling replenishment; feeler mechanism including a movablefeeler support, a spring for projecting said feeler support rearwardlyand permitting it to yield .fo'r 'ardly, a plurality of feelersseparately and independently mounted in said feeler support andindependently and yieldingly projected rearwardly with respect to saidsupport; and connections between said means for initiating fillingrcplenishment and said l'eeler mechanism actio to operate the forl'nerupon the failure of an v one or more of said feelers to more fm-wardlv apredetermined extent with respect to the feeler support upon the detecting beat up.

7. An automatic filling replenishingloom coin n'ising means forinitiating filling replenishment: feeler mechanism including a movablefeeler support, a spring for projecting said feeler support rearwardlyand permitting it to yield forwardly, a plurality of feelers separatelyand independently mounted in said fteler support and independently andyieldingly projected rearwardly with respect to said support; acontroller pivotally mounted on the feeler sup-- port and held inelevated position by or through the feelers when one or morearerearwardly projected and depressed when all of the feelers are movedfor\\ardl by contact with the filling on the filling carrier: andconnections between the. said controller and the means for initiatingfilling replenishmentavhereb when the controller remains elevated on thebeat up the said means will be operated.

8. An automatic filling replenisl'iing loom comprising feeler mechanism,including a plurality of separated independently and yieldinglyrearwardly projected feelers; a controller held in elevated position bor through the feelers when one or more are earwardly projected anddepressed when all of the feelers are moved forwardly by contact withthe filling on the filling carrier: a shaft. connected and movable withthe controller; a constantly vibrating weft hammer; means for initiatingfilling replenishn'ient including a latchf and a com'iection betweensaid shaft and said latch wherebv who the controller is elevated thelatch will )0 positioned in the path of the weft."

hammer thereby to initiate filling replenishment.

9. An automatic filling replenishing loom comprising feeler mechanisminclmling a plurality of separated imlependently and yieldinglyrearwardly projected feelers; a controller held in elevated position byor through the feelers when one or more are 'earwardlv projected anddepressed when all of the feelers are moved forwardly by contact withthe filling on the filling carrier; a shaft connected and movable withthe contr0ller; a constantly vibrating weft hammer; meansfor initiatingfilling replenishing including a latch; a connection between said shaftand said latch whereby when the controller is elevated the latch will bepositioned, in the path of the weft/hammer there by to initiate fillingreplenishment; and

means connected tothe said shaft and operated by the weft hammer torestore llli' said controller to cle'vatcd position al each r ar wardmovement of the lav.

ll). i\n automatic. filling repleni hing loom comprising means forinitiating lilling' Icpl nishmcnt: a yieldinglv rearwardlv pro jettingfcelcr support: a plurality of scpa rated feel rs indepcmlcntlv mountedin the feeler support and vicldintl v. reai.'\\ardlv projected wilhrcspccl thereto: ea h of said feelers provided with a projecting log; acontroller pivotall v mounted on the feelcr support and presentin'. adownward projection forming a hook and normally resting on the said lugswhen thil'eclers arc rcarwardlv projecttal: a transmittingshaftcornn-eted to said controller: a pivoted latch connected to and ating when forwardlv projected to operaic said in -ans for initiatingfilling replcnishnwnl: a connec tion between said transmitting --lmftand said latch and a onnection l|tl\\''1l| said transmilting' shaft and-ulil weft hammer whereby when the controller l. in depressed positionthe latch will be held out of the path of the weft hammer aml when thecontroller is in elevated position the latch will be struck and operat dhr the wefl naunner upon its forward movem nt and wlwrehy the wefthammer on its rearward move ment will give a reverse rotation to theshaft and restore the controller to elevated position. i

11. in an automatic lilliug re 'ilenishing loom. fcelerllltltfllfll'lifill'l including a plurality of separated indepemlcntlvaml vieldingl v projected feelers having their cndsor points similarlyinclined wherehvalrv one or more of the said points ma enter one or moreequally spaced helical grooves in the barrel of an opposed fillingcarrier.

12. An automatic filling replenishing loom comprismg means forinitiating filling replenishment; a yieldingly rear\\-'ardly projectedlcelcr support. a plurality of separated leelers independently mountedin said feeler support and yieldingly rearwardly projected with respectthereto; a controller mounted on. the feeler support and held inelevated posit-ion Inor through the feelers when. rearwardly projectedand depressed when the feelers are moved forwardly by contact with thefilling on a filling carrier; a two-part; jointed transmitter shaftconnected to the controller and acting when operated thereby to operatethe means for initiating filling replenishment, the said joint in thetransmitter shaft 'iermitting forward and rearward movementof the feelersupport to'take place without interfering with the operation of themeans for initiating filling replenishment from the controller.

13. As a new article of manufacture, a filling'carrier for looms havingazone of its barrel provided with an endless circumferential series ofequally spaced helical grooves. 14. As a new article of' manufacture, afilling carrier for looms having a zone of its 5 barrel provided 'withan endless circumferential series of equslly spaced helical grooveslaterally separated at the surface of the barrel by ribs narrower thanthe Width of the grooves.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my 10 name to this specification.

ALONZO E. RHOADES.

